Health
Oyo govt. creates new refuse landfills, loading stations
Oyo State Government in its bid to ensure safe and effective waste management in line with international best practices has created additional two landfills situated at Igbokanda Village, Ido Local Government area and Morowona Village at Akinyele Local Government area in Ibadan.
Five transfer loading stations have also been added to the existing stations to ease the loading of refuse across the State.
These loading stations are located at Opawole community in Ido Local Government area, Ajao community in Oluyole Local Government area, Arinakuta Village in Egbeda Local Government area, and Adedokun Village in Lagelu Local Government area.
The reason for this moves according to the Permanent Secretary, Oyo State Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, Dr Bashir Olanrewaju were to de-congest the existing refuse landfills at Lapite, Awotan, Ajakanga, Abeeku and Sabo municipals as a result of complaints made by the people of these communities.
Dr. Olanrewaju revealed this while on an inspection tour of the existing landfills at Awotan and Ajakanga in Ibadan alongside the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, (TPL) Ademola Ajibola and members of the State refuse management team.
“As far as waste management is concerned, it is mandatory for us as a government in ensuring safe and healthy environment that will not be harmful to the well being of the citizens in the State.
“These new sites will help decongest the mass of refuse at those other areas and we will relocate from sites where people have built houses around the area to avoid creating health hazard, that is the essence of the new sites.”
“We are currently working on the drainage system and a good road network around the refuse area to avert liquid wastes finding its way into people’s homes while also ensuring that vehicles have easy access to the sit.e”
“It is also our intention to collaborate with the community members in the treatment of their wells towards ensuring that their water is not polluted. As a matter of fact, fumigation of the refuse areas is ongoing and the team had held meeting with the landlord association of the landfill area as well the scavengers association in order to achieve sustainable waste management process that will be beneficial to all.”
He said the new transfer loading stations would be a support mechanism to the landfills while environmental waste disposal technologies would be deployed in separating the waste, hence creating a sustainable livelihoods through recycling of such wastes.
He added that and the move was also a way of mobilizing the community members who actually generate the wastes, thereby averting environmental pollution and ecological degradation that could result as a result of mismanagement of our collective wastes
In his words, the Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Ademola Ajibola hinted that as a matter of urgency, the Ministry would initiate the acquisition procedures of the new landfills and transfer loading stations, noting further that this would entail the proper enumeration of the land area and disbursement of adequate compensations to legitimate land owners where necessary before it would be finally handed over to the Ministry of Environment for use.
Meanwhile, a representative of the Landlord Association at Awotan, Mr. Ayoade Fagbemi expressed gratitude to the State Government for its immediate response the request for the clearing of the drainage system in their area.
Mr. Fagbemi assured the government that residents of Awotan would continue to support the Ministry in achieving its mandate of having a clean environment that would attract foreign investors.
The Oyo State Ministry of Health has closed two hospitals in Saki West Local Government Area following a suspected outbreak of Lassa fever, which has claimed four lives.
The fatalities, confirmed by the Oyo State Rapid Response Team (RRT), include three males and a 32-year-old female who was preparing for her wedding. The closure of the hospitals aims to contain the spread of the disease and ensure thorough decontamination.
In a press statement issued by the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Dotun Oyelade, the State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Oluwaserimi Ajetunmobi, revealed that the RRT was dispatched to Saki following distress calls from residents reporting mysterious deaths.
Findings and Immediate Actions
The RRT, comprising health officials, representatives from WHO and the Red Cross, and local health authorities, conducted a comprehensive investigation into the outbreak.
Preliminary findings suggest that an apprentice at one of the affected hospitals, who had recently returned from Iwajowa Local Government Area, might have introduced the infection.
The team disclosed that the deceased exhibited symptoms consistent with Lassa fever, such as craniofacial bleeding. The hospital owner, who was among the deceased, initially self-medicated with antimalarials and antibiotics before seeking hospital care when his condition worsened.
Containment Measures
Both the hospital where the fatalities occurred and the facility that admitted the hospital owner were shut down for decontamination.
Contact tracing efforts are ongoing, focusing on high-risk individuals who had contact with the deceased during their illness or burial.
Affected health workers were trained on Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) protocols, and public awareness campaigns were conducted to educate residents about Lassa fever.
Samples have been collected from a symptomatic individual, pending laboratory confirmation. Line-listing of contacts is underway to identify potential cases and prevent further spread.
Collaborative Efforts
The RRT also paid an advocacy visit to the Okere of Saki’s palace to brief traditional authorities on the situation. Local government officials in Saki West were engaged to coordinate containment strategies.
Reports indicate that while the outbreak initially affected Saki West, it has extended to Iwajowa and Kajola Local Government Areas.
Disease Surveillance and Notification Officers (DSNOs) in the affected LGAs have been instructed to commence preliminary containment measures as the State RRT ramps up its response.
Call for Vigilance
The Ministry of Health has urged residents to remain vigilant, report any symptoms suggestive of Lassa fever, and adhere to preventive measures.
These include proper hygiene practices, avoiding contact with rodents, and seeking medical attention promptly if symptoms arise.
A member representing Ibarapa East/Ido federal constituency of Oyo State at the House of Representatives, Engr. Aderemi Oseni, has announced a plan to launch a “Mobile Clinic” programme aimed at providing essential healthcare services directly to rural communities across the constituency.
Scheduled to begin in the first quarter of 2025, this initiative underscores Oseni’s commitment to expanding healthcare access, particularly for underserved populations.
Speaking on Saturday at the 10th-anniversary celebration of God’s Knot Hospital in Ologuneru, Ibadan, the lawmaker, who also chairs the House Committee on the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA), highlighted the programme’s primary objective: bringing healthcare closer to the people.
“Every community deserves attention; healthcare should never be bound by geographical barriers,” Oseni stated.
He explained that the mobile clinics would deliver essential health check-ups, screenings, and preventive care in remote areas, allowing residents to access quality healthcare without traveling long distances.
As part of his broader healthcare agenda, Oseni informed, through a statement by his media aide, Idowu Ayodele, that he has already facilitated the construction of two fully equipped maternity centers within his constituency, both slated for commissioning before December 2024. He also disclosed plans to establish two modern general hospitals in 2025, further strengthening his commitment to building a healthier community.
The lawmaker expressed interest in collaborating with God’s Knot Hospital on the mobile clinic project, calling for partnerships to support sustainable healthcare initiatives that enhance the quality of life for vulnerable populations in the constituency.
“I resonate deeply with the mission of God’s Knot Hospital,” Oseni shared, adding that such partnerships would significantly improve healthcare in Oyo State”.
The anniversary event attracted distinguished guests, including former Ondo State Governor Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, whom Oseni commended for his contributions to healthcare, particularly through the Mother and Child Hospitals that transformed maternal and child healthcare in Ondo State.
Oseni urged philanthropists, government bodies, and international organizations to support healthcare projects like the upcoming mobile clinics, emphasising that the improvement of healthcare services is a shared responsibility.
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has ordered the immediate closure of the Gomboru drug market in Maiduguri following severe flooding that submerged the area and contaminated the drugs sold within the market.
In a statement posted on its official X handle, NAFDAC disclosed that the decision was made after reports surfaced that contaminated drugs, which had been washed and sun-dried for resale, were being sold at the market.
“After the recent flooding in Maiduguri that submerged the Gomboru drug market where contaminated drugs were washed and sun-dried for resale, the @DGatNAFDAC ordered the immediate closure of the market to conduct a thorough shop-to-shop removal of these compromised drugs,” the agency wrote.
The flooding, which ravaged Maiduguri, was triggered by the rupture of the Alau dam on the Ngadda River, located 20 kilometers (12 miles) south of the city.
The floodwaters claimed at least 30 lives and displaced 400,000 residents, leaving large parts of the city and surrounding areas in devastation.
NAFDAC’s intervention is aimed at safeguarding public health by preventing the sale and consumption of contaminated drugs.
The agency has mobilized teams to inspect the market and ensure the removal of all compromised pharmaceutical products.
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